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The people of Fukushima prefecture in Japan, are in trouble. Abandoned by their own government; forced to return to their homes in this city of nuclear contamination, they are fearful for their children's futures and asking the world community for support.

A man in the video who uses the name Nakate, explains that he represents a network to protect children from radiation.

"It's been three months since the accident at Fukushima Everyday we discover new things. We know the government is not telling us the truth".

That is a harsh charge toward the Japanese government, but apparently right on the money from what we can tell.

"We the citizens of Fukushima ask ourselves if this region is habitable, and if our children should continue to live here. We ask for an evacuation order for us and our children. Neither the Japanese government nor the local authorities call for an evacuation. We have to figure it out for ourselves. We need national and international support. Please send us your messages of support to Fukushima, Japan".

The Russians evacuated the people of Chernobyl after the deadly nuclear disaster there. It didn't happen fast enough, but once signs of the massive radiation leak reached Europe, the Soviets were forced to acknowledge the disaster and people left the region in droves. The Japanese govt. is now playing second fiddle on the same stage.

Many in the U.S. and Europe have been asking about Japan in recent weeks, wondering how a disaster of this magnitude could have simply disappeared from the news. Of course the myriad terrible stories dominating headlines in places like Israel and Mexico take our eye off the ball. The people in Fukushima however, have not missed a thing, except a peace of mind that once existed there.

It was a natural disaster that led to the destruction of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, but residents are being pushed back to this dangerous place by their government. While the corporate and political spin masters continue to try to reduce the severity of this disaster, the truth, according to one Japanese nuclear engineer, is far worse that what the average member of the public understands.

According to the University of Tokyo’s Naoto Sekimura, a Japanese nuclear engineer, melt down began just five hours after Japan’s 11 March earthquake. This is what he told a committee of the National Academy of Sciences in May.

On 26 May, The Washington Post published an article titled: Japanese scientist: Fukushima meltdown occurred within hours of quake

"This week, the company admitted for the first time that nuclear fuel in three of the plant’s reactors had melted — a conclusion that independent scientists had reached long ago.

And in a rare insight into internal deliberations at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which oversees U.S. power plants, Commissioner George Apostolakis said that NRC staff members “thought the cores were melting” early in the Daiichi crisis. This conclusion — and the lack of information from Japanese authorities — drove the commission’s controversial recommendation to evacuate Americans within 50-mile radius of the facility, an area far larger than the 12.5-mile evacuation zone then enforced by the Japanese government.

“The 50 miles was very conservative,” Apostolakis told the academy scientists. “You can’t say someone was right or wrong in this situation.”

The six-reactor complex on Japan’s northeastern coast continues emitting radiation into the air and water, and Tepco has said that it will not be able to bring the three heavily damaged reactors under control until late this year or early next year.

The radioactive material already spewed by the plant could cause 120 cases of leukemia in Japanese children over the next 10 years, scientists from the National Cancer Institute said at the meeting.

“You can see there might be considerable number of leukemia cases,” said NCI’s Kiyohiko Mabuchi. He added that the estimate was very rough, based on the assumption that the non-evacuated population of Fukushima prefecture — nearly 2 million people — stays put for the next decade. The case figure was derived from scientists’ understanding of radiation’s dangers gleaned from studies of Japanese atomic bomb survivors.Read the full article: Japanese scientist: Fukushima meltdown occurred within hours of quake - The Washington Post

This is taking place in front of the entire world. What would possibly compel Japanese authorities to subject its populace to a situation with so many dangerous factors and the host of unanticipated problems that could follow?

Karin Rougeau wrote to our newsroom today to make sure we were aware of this video that was released just three days ago from Fukushima, and translated into both French and English. In the words we see the desperation and fear of people in a nation who are very unsure of what it means to be forced to live in a place with present levels of radiation.

Karin wrote, "They are asking for International help , not financially, but to pressure the Japanese Govt. to not make them live any longer in Fukushima City. The Govt. has started closing shelters, and have forced / told the citizens to go back and live in Fukushima City, where the radiation is terribly high. They fear, not for themselves, but for their children as they intake radiation much faster than adults".

Concern should exist in all corners of the world and the online community needs to do everything possible to pressure Japan into providing safe locations for its own residents.

Bear in mind that many in Japan were not affected by the disastrous earthquake, tsunami and the subsequent nuclear meltdown.

Karin Rougeau wrote, "I see no other way we can help as the Japanese customs are so unlike ours. It is hard to watch a Proud Nation slowly unravel, and such hard working people like that couple suffer so".

As Karin points out, fortunately somebody in France took the video and subtitled it, and again it has been translated into English.

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Silver Spoke Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (2011), Excellence in Journalism Award by the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (2010), Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), First-place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Tim was a member of the National Press Photographer's Association for several years and is a current member of the Orange County Press Club.

Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 82 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can write to Tim at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

John Bernhart July 18, 2011 9:01 pm (Pacific time)

I am a father living in Japan who made the decision to evacuate my family without any assistance. Now I have no job and we are living in my savings. I do not expect ever to get any compensation from Tepco or the government. In fact, Tepco wants me to pay my last electricity bill. I have two comments about the article. First, it is NOT true that the current nuclear disaster was caused by a natural disaster. It was caused by the cost-cutting of Tepco and the criminal negligence of government regulators in the pocket of the nuclear industry. Second, while many in Japan pretend not to have been effected. It is not true that all have not been effected. All of us have. The government and businesses are doing nothing to restrict radiation pollution. Radioactive waste and rice hay and food are being shipped all over Japan contaminating the entire country to protect business profits. The Japanese government as well as the UN are covering up the real dangers to limit financial liability and to protect the nuclear industry. The people of the world must condemn the UN, condemn the WHO, condemn the IAEA, and condemn all businesses and governments covering up the truth of Fukushima. This is a message from a very worried father in Japan.

Editor: Our hearts and prayers are with you, we also have a new story coming out that includes the petition, thank you.

Ken July 18, 2011 8:14 pm (Pacific time)

By the way, I live in japan, roughly 250 miles southwest of Fukushima. I've lived here for 14 years straight and raised my kids here. I am a jack of all trades, a master of several, forever a student of all sciences, understand any type of technology and system, both theoretical but mostly real physical world. I study everything including politics, and everything history, and am particularly bent on getting to the truth of all matters.

Ken July 18, 2011 8:05 pm (Pacific time)

I also know that this may sould crazy, and as some people have told me, outside of the realm of possibility that little ol' me might actually have a saving grace idea ..... but what if I told you I had an idea as to how to clean up and put a dead stop to any and all nuclear messes, as well as amply and simply replace nuclear power generation with a suitable alternative requiring no new breakthroughs - but that this would require a concerted effort. The only problem being fighting the entrenched powers that be. ???
Can anybody help me out on how to get things going in the right direction?

Ken July 18, 2011 7:56 pm (Pacific time)

call me a conspiracy theorist, but if the stuxnet virus and the recently installed security system has been a part of this as some are purporting, then the J. Gov's actions are completely under duress, as in hostages under threat. They could just be doing what they are told to avoid further attacks.

COLLI July 18, 2011 7:05 pm (Pacific time)

Those who get rich from the ever-increasing gluttony of energy force corrupt governments to hide the truth. I am sorry to see that this level of greed exists in Japan too. The owners of those reactors that were stupidly build in harm’s way should be picking up the tab for relocating these poor people and finding them work.

Scandinavian Beach July 18, 2011 8:40 am (Pacific time)

The air in entire northern hemisphere is contaminated with the continuing release of Plutonium, wake up.
Only idiots start 'clean' up theatrics when reactors still keep boiling and may even xplode any time.

silent bob July 18, 2011 8:23 am (Pacific time)

News is spreading about major recent developments in cold fusion/LENR research. A company called Defkalion is starting to build generators based on this technology, so for the first time it looks like it could be the real deal. If so, it could be a truly disruptive technology that finally puts an end to old-fashioned nuclear power.

Anonymous July 18, 2011 4:51 am (Pacific time)

I have been monitoring this closely from the beginning. Altho Japan is much worse obviously, it is of my learned opinion that this accident is effecting the health here in America, especially on the west coast.
I know its minor amounts, but in 10 years from now we will be seeing an uptick in cancer victims. Those in charge of the western world, and most of the planet, have a religion. Its called eugenics, and people should be making themselves aware of this fact.

Lisa July 18, 2011 12:08 am (Pacific time)

At this point it appears that the sooner you take your situation into your own hands the better. Please take your family to another safer location and find a job, any job. Then you will have the means to help other victims secure jobs and remove their families. Please do NOT wait for your government. Do it yourself. It is the quickest and safest way. There are honorable, helpful Japanese people all over Japan who will be willing to give you a hand up. And if you are a praying person, now would be a good time for it. God Bless YOU!

Bruce July 17, 2011 4:44 pm (Pacific time)

>What would compel Japanese authorities to subject its populace to a situation with so many dangerous factors..?

You perhaps do not understand Japanese culture - refer the Brides of Hiroshima. The people of Fukushima are viewed as a diseased limb to be removed from the tree. It is not just the government, the entire Japanese populace are complicit in this action. The problem is this time the disease is going to be wide spread and a large part of the tree will have to be sacrificed.

Editor: Well I can't say that makes it sound any better, perhaps far worse. Is there no stronger national bond than that? Would it not still help greatly to take the sick people to a better location? Finally, this is not about our understanding, we are simply relaying the message in this case and raising awareness, thanks.

mikael July 17, 2011 2:59 pm (Pacific time)

This is realy bad.
And also fu.. iritating is the, exuse the gravnes in this situation, all the talk about canser.
Canser is the ultimate damage to a cell structure, before that this could and will lead to a wide vriaty of helth problems like autoimune disorders, everything from diabetes to MS.
And they know it.
After the event in 3/11 Japan became a black hole.

Mikko July 17, 2011 2:21 pm (Pacific time)

Breaking the silence is a good method, but I urge you to move out of there. It is an equal disgrace for the government if they're too impotent to evacuate you and you do it yourselves. Don't stop petitioning for an evacuation order, press the matter in your medias.
Globally thinking, we should really cut our energy consumption and adopt safer ways of energy production. We got the know-how and the materials, all we need is will and the doing of it. Time to roll our sleeves, folks.

aaron July 17, 2011 10:09 am (Pacific time)

How is pressuring the AmeriKKKan government going to help? They do not care about the people here, and listen only to Israhell. Unfortunately, this falls on the people of Japan to revolt and say no, we will not kill our children so you can make it seem all is well. We can boycott Japan, but that does nothing for its people. The people who get help, are usually the ones who help themselves, as history has shown again, and again. Governments have only their interests in mind, as you can see by our current world.

dyke davis, san francisco July 16, 2011 11:03 pm (Pacific time)

The Japanese people have an obligation to fight, die or risk imprisonment if necessary to break the culture of silence.
Silence is deadly not only for the practitioner, but for the children the practitioner abandones in support of cowardness not custom nor tradition.